I've had good luck with epoxy on aluminum in non-structural applications:
Wet-sand the aluminum - keeping a film of resin on the sander and the
surface. You then can mix the epoxy at your convenience, and work it into
the rough, wet aluminum. Your grinder / sander gets a bit messy, but the
unmixed resin cleans up OK with acetone. I did this, adhering "skid plates"
to the bottom of a wood/epoxy hull. A couple years hard use, and still
firmly attached.

I have NOT had success with 3M 5200; the manufacturer refused to supply info
on surface prep, saying they don't teach people how to build boats... Wood
gunwales applied to an aluminum hull peeled right off, but only prep was a
light sanding.

As to "stitch and glue", I'd be inclined to "stitch and weld" with aluminum.
I did a dory (Bolger Teal) as a test of concept, and it's completely
indestructible and maintenance free. A bit heavy (1/8 aluminum weighs
about the same as unfinished 3/4" ply) but tough.



"Paolo Zini" wrote in message
...

"Brian D" ha scritto nel messaggio
newsbR5c.27221$JL2.316008@attbi_s03...
Awhile back, there was a thread concerning stitch-n-glue using aluminum
rather than plywood. Although I do not believe it could be a high
enough
quality solution to boat building,
.......

It looks that the flame with P.C. have changed the course of the thread
from
the original subject...
I am still interested on it (I mean to the original subject....).
Any more info?

I've had good luck with epoxy on aluminum in non-structural applications:
Wet-sand the aluminum - keeping a film of resin on the sander and the
surface. You then can mix the epoxy at your convenience, and work it into
the rough, wet aluminum. Your grinder / sander gets a bit messy, but the
unmixed resin cleans up OK with acetone. I did this, adhering "skid
plates"
to the bottom of a wood/epoxy hull. A couple years hard use, and still
firmly attached.

Great! I have read about your method, but yours is the first info about it's
succesful use.
You don't consider your application as structural, but is anyway one hard
test!


I have NOT had success with 3M 5200; the manufacturer refused to supply
info
on surface prep, saying they don't teach people how to build boats...
Wood

Also this is one valuable info.

Paolo

Great! I have read about your method, but yours is the first info about it's
succesful use.
You don't consider your application as structural, but is anyway one hard
test!


I have NOT had success with 3M 5200; the manufacturer refused to supply
info
on surface prep, saying they don't teach people how to build boats...
Wood

Also this is one valuable info.

Paolo

Funny, I had the same reaction from 3M when I asked them about using
the product for boats several years ago. I had not used it before
then, and have not had need since .
Scotty